BASKETBALL: Lady Indians top Elverado as Tip-Off continues
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The 2010 Indians Tip-Off Classic continued on Friday evening with DuQuoin and Elverado girls playing each other in the late game of the evening. DuQuoin came out of the tunnel on fire. They scored the first nine points of the game before Elverado made two free throws. DuQuoin kept the pressure on beating Elverado by a score of 52-32.
The first quarter was 20-8 DuQuoin and at half-time DuQuoin led 37-17. In the third quarter, neither team scored in the first two minutes until Elverado made a free throw. DuQuoin went three minutes before they scored when Jessica Hirsch hit a three pointer. Hirsch followed with a steal and a lay up. Hirsch also hit another three pointer at the buzzer. Elverado only managed to score three points in the third quarter while DuQuoin scored 14 points.
The fourth quarter had DuQuoin leading by thirty points so the clock ran continuously. In the fourth quarter DuQuoin's Curry Emling and Steffanie Gates both fouled out. Elverado was able to cut the lead by ten points in the final quarter. DuQuoin won the game by a score of 52-32. DuQuoin is now 1-1 in the tournament.
Scoring for DuQuoin: Jessica Hirsch 20, Rebekah Maddox 18, Curry Emling 6, Taylor King 4, Ashley Ward 2, and Steffanie Gates 2. Hailie Stewart and Shelby Presley also saw action for the Indians.
For Elverado Lacey Qualls led the way with 15 points, Jennifer Sarenson had 9, Sami Hicks 4, Chelsea Cochran 3, and Meghann Trammel 1.
Coach Lance Bedar said, "Until we can take care of the ball and shoot better, we are not going to beat anyone. We had 19 turnovers in the first half and shot 4 for 22." Elverado is 0-3 in the tournament.
Coach Shawn File was very happy with his team's performance. "We had much better intensity tonight. We came out and got after them and pressured the ball. We had some easy shots. We had a nice first quarter. The girls played hard and well tonight. Everybody got some playing time. They did what they were supposed to do. We are looking forward to Monday when we play Steeleville."
In the early game of the evening Murphysboro (3-0) beat Steeleville 47-40. Steeleville is 1-1 in the tournament.
Murphysboro's Chelsi Gillespie scored 20 points. The leading scorer for Steeleville was Natalie Ruebke with 21 points.
Monday's schedule has DuQuoin playing Steeleville at 6:30 and Murphysboro vs. Johnston City at 8:00.
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